Could it be, America? Are you really making healthier food choices?! It seems that you are, and we couldn’t be happier! According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, Americans are actually eating lighter—and healthier! In fact, the service reports that Americans are consulting food labels, eating less fat and consuming more fiber—all important steps in fighting obesity.
As many of you know, obesity has been called a national health crisis and is given as a major reason that health care costs continue to grow. In light of these two circumstances, several federal initiatives have been created to stem the tide of Americans growing waistlines, such as MyPlate, which offers help with meal planning and advice for shopping, SuperTracker, an online food-tracking tool, as well as healthy guidelines for food and beverages sold in schools and (this one’s AWESOME!) a 67 % increase in the number of farmer’s markets across the country. According to the Department of Agriculture’s study, people are feeling more empowered about their food and their own ability to control their health and their weight.
So, who’s taking the hit? The restaurant industry. With the addition of nutritional information on restaurant menus (76% of working-age adults said they would use this information if available), people are seeing for themselves just what each meal means to their health-and-weight management bottom lines. The biggest hits are to fast food drive-thrus. According to the report, “Reduced consumption of food away from home (such as food from restaurants and fast food) accounted for 20 percent of the improvements in diet quality…Calories consumed through food away from home dropped by 127 calories per day, and the average person ate three fewer meals and 1.5 fewer snacks per month away from home.”
Here’s why we’re not worried: We’re not you’re typical fast food. We’re “cuisine on the fly,” meaning we keep you moving and get your breakfast and lunch to you as quickly as possible, but when we bring you your meal, you won’t be eating burgers and fries. We serve you fresh salads and paninis, homemade soups, bowls of pasta with fresh, healthy ingredients. We cater healthy meals, both hot and cold, that employers can feel good about serving to their employees. We locally source our ingredients because we are as committed to the health of our planet as we are to the health of our patrons, and we know exactly what’s going into each and every meal—and so will you. At Brown Bag, you can have your breakfast or lunch without breaking your calorie budget—and it will be delicious and satisfying.
So, eat healthy, snack healthy. We love to see reports like this one that tell us Americans are becoming more aware and involved with their food, and we love knowing that people can come eat with us to keep their health and weight goals on the right track. See you soon, DC!
